DETERMINANTS OF WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AMONG THE HOSPITAL NURSES IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

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DETERMINANTS OF WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AMONG THE HOSPITAL NURSES IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

BY

CELINE NG JINGNING LIM CHIEW THONG

LIM JIA YONG TAN WEI GEN

A FINAL YEAR PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE

DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (HONS) UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS

August 2019

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ii Copyright @ 2019

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this paper may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior consent of the authors.

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iii

DECLARATION

We hereby declare that:

(1) This undergraduate FYP is the end result of our own work and that due acknowledgement has been given in the references to ALL sources of information be they printed, electronic, or personal.

(2) No portion of this FYP has been submitted in support of any application for any other degree or qualification of this or any other university, or other institutes of learning.

(3) Equal contribution has been made by each group member in completing the FYP.

(4) The word count of this research report is _________________________.

Name of Student: Student ID: Signature:

1. Celine Ng Jingning 1403179 _______________________

2. Lim Chiew Thong 1704988 _______________________

3. Lim Jia Yong 1704986 _______________________

4. Tan Wei Gen 1405674 _______________________

Date: _______________________

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratefulness towards the people who have helped us through the whole progress of this research project. This research project can’t be completed without the guidance and time that contributed by them.

First of all, we deeply appreciate our research supervisor, Dr. Ng Lee Peng for helping and guiding us along the way of conducting this research project. She has provided useful opinion, shared her knowledge and corrected our mistake during every discussion. The suggestions and opinions that provided by her gave us a lot of encouragement and helped us complete our research project smoothly.

Secondly, we appreciate to those respondents who spent their precious time to fill up the questionnaires. Their responses are the key success factor of our research project. We may not complete this research paper without their valuable information and necessary data. Their cooperation has made us easier in collecting and analyzing data.

We would also like to express our appreciation to those people who have contributed in our research project such as lecturer and tutor. We appreciate the support and knowledge that provided by our lecturer and tutor; the sharing from our course mates; financial and mentally support from our family members; and lastly is the facilities that provided by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR).

Last but not least, we are grateful with our group members who are cooperative, tolerance and understanding among each other throughout the research process. With the contribution from all members, we have completed our research project on time and successfully.

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v DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to:

Our supervisor, Dr. Ng Lee Peng

For guide us throughout the completion of this research study.

Tertiary educational institution, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)

For giving us the opportunity to conduct this research project.

Families and friends,

For giving their unlimited support, help, encouragement, and motivation throughout the completion of this research project.

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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ... 12

2.1 Underlying theories ... 12

2.1.1 Role Theory ... 12

2.1.2 Job Demands-Resources Theory... 13

2.1.3 Conservation of Resources Theory ... 15

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2.2 Review of Literature ... 15

2.2.1 Work-Family Conflict ... 15

2.2.2 Emotional Demand ... 18

2.2.3 Workload... 19

2.2.4 Supervisor Support... 20

2.2.5 Colleague Support ... 21

2.3 Proposed Theoretical/Conceptual Framework ... 22

2.4 Hypothesis Development ... 23

2.4.1 Emotional Demands and Work-family Conflict ... 23

2.4.2 Workload and Work-family Conflict ... 23

2.4.3 Supervisor Support and Work-family Conflict ... 24

2.4.4 Colleague Support and Work-family Conflict ... 25

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ... 27

3.1 Research Design... 27

3.2 Data Collection Method ... 28

3.2.1 Primary Data ... 28

3.3 Sampling Design ... 30

3.3.1 Target Population ... 30

3.3.2 Sampling Frame and Sampling Location ... 30

3.3.3 Sampling Elements ... 30

3.3.4 Sampling Techniques ... 31

3.3.5 Sample Size ... 31

3.4 Research Instrument... 34

3.4.1 Questionnaire Design ... 34

3.4.2 Pre-test and Pilot test ... 34

3.5 Origin and Construct Measurement ... 36

3.5.1 Operational Definition ... 36

3.5.2 Scale of Measurement ... 38

3.6 Data Processing ... 39

3.6.1 Data Checking ... 39

3.6.2 Data Editing ... 39

3.6.2 Data Coding ... 40

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3.6.2 Data Transcribing... 41

3.7 Data Analysis ... 41

3.7.1 Descriptive Analysis ... 41

3.7.2 Reliability Analysis ... 41

3.7.2.1 Reliability Test ... 42

3.7.3 Inferential Analysis ... 42

3.7.3.1 Pearson Correlation Coefficient ... 43

3.7.3.2 Multiple Linear Regression Analysis... 43

CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS ... 45

4.1 Descriptive Analysis ... 45

4.1.1 Respondent Demographic Profile ... 45

4.1.1.1 Age ... 48

4.1.1.2 Gender ... 49

4.1.1.3 Marital Status ... 50

4.1.1.4 Number of Children ... 51

4.1.1.5 Nationality... 52

4.1.1.6 Ethnicity ... 53

4.1.1.7 Qualification ... 54

4.1.1.8 Type of hospitals ... 55

4.1.1.9 Category ... 56

4.1.1.10 Length of service... 57

4.1.1.11 Average working hours ... 58

4.1.2 Central Tendencies Measurement of Constructs ... 59

4.1.2.1 Work-Family Conflict ... 59

4.1.2.2 Workload ... 62

4.1.2.3 Supervisor Support ... 63

4.1.2.4 Colleague Support ... 64

4.1.2.5 Emotional Demand ... 65

4.1.2.6 Central Tendency of Measurement of All Variables .... 67

4.2 Scale Measurement ... 68

4.2.1 Reliability Test ... 68

4.3 Inferential Analysis ... 69

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4.3.1 Pearson Correlation Analysis ... 69

4.3.1.1 Correlation between Emotional Demand and Work- family Conflict ... 69

4.3.1.2 Correlation between Workload and Work-family Conflict ... 70

4.3.1.3 Correlation between Supervisor Support and Work- family Conflict ... 70

4.3.1.4 Correlation between Colleague Support and Work-family Conflict ... 71

4.3.2 Multicollinearity ... 72

4.3.3 Multiple Regression Analysis ... 73

4.4 Conclusion ... 77

CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION ... 78

5.1 Discussion of Major Findings ... 78

5.1.1 Emotional Demands and Work-family Conflict ... 78

5.1.2 Workload and Work-family Conflict ... 79

5.1.3 Supervisor Support and Work-family Conflict ... 80

5.1.4 Colleague Support and Work-family Conflict ... 80

5.2 Implication of Study ... 81

5.2.1 Practical Implication ... 81

5.3 Limitation of Study ... 83

5.4 Recommendation for Future Research ... 84

5.5 Conclusion ... 84

REFERENCE ... 85

APPENDICES ... 102

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.0: Distribution of Questionnaire ... 29

Table 3.1: Exclusion of Trainee Nurse ... 29

Table 3.2: Reliability test for pilot test ... 35

Table 3.3: Construct Measurement of Dependent Variable and Independent Variable ... 37

Table 3.4: Labels and Coding for Demographic Profile ... 40

Table 3.5: The rule of Thumb on Cronbach Coefficient Alpha ... 42

Table 3.6: The rule of Thumb on Pearson Correlation Coefficient ... 43

Table 4.0: Demographic of Respondent ... 46

Table 4.1: Central Tendency of Measurement of Work-Family Conflict ... 59

Table 4.2: Central Tendency of Measurement of Workload ... 62

Table 4.3: Central Tendency of Measurement of Supervisor Support ... 63

Table 4.4: Central Tendency of Measurement of Colleague Support ... 64

Table 4.5: Central Tendency of Measurement of Emotional Demand ... 65

Table 4.6: Central Tendency of Measurement of All Variables ... 67

Table 4.7: Reliability Test for Actual Study ... 68

Table 4.8: Correlation between Emotional Demand and Work-family Conflict ... 69

Table 4.9: Correlation between Workload and Work-family Conflict ... 70

Table 4.10: Correlation between Supervisor Support and Work-family Conflict ... 70

Table 4.11: Correlation between Colleague Support and Work-family Conflict ... 71

Table 4.12: Correlation Matrix for key variables ... 72

Table 4.13: Analysis of Variance... 73

Table 4.14: Model Summary ... 74

Table 4.15: The Estimate of Parameter ... 75

Table 4.16: Result of Hypothesis ... 77

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.0: Human Resources Health Country Profile in Malaysia ... 3

Figure 1.1: Turnover Rate in Healthcare Industries in U.S. ... 4

Figure 2.0: Conceptual Framework Model ... 22

Figure 3.0: Determine Sample Size from G Power ... 33

Figure 4.0: Age Distribution Respondents ... 48

Figure 4.1: Gender Distribution Respondents ... 49

Figure 4.2: Marital Status ... 50

Figure 4.3: Number of Children ... 51

Figure 4.4: Nationality ... 52

Figure 4.5: Ethnicity ... 53

Figure 4.6: Qualification ... 54

Figure 4.7: Type of Hospital Distribution Respondents ... 55

Figure 4.8: Category of Nurses ... 56

Figure 4.9: Length of Service ... 57

Figure 4.10: Average Working hours ... 58

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LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Survey Questionnaire ... 102

Appendix 2: Permission Letter ... 112

Appendix 3: Inferential analysis data from SAS Software. ... 113

Appendix 4: Inferential analysis of Central Tendency data from SAS Software ... 114

Appendix 5: Inferential analysis of Pearson Correlation Coefficient data from SAS Software ... 116

Appendix 6: Inferential analysis of Multicollinearity data from SAS Software ... 118

Appendix 7: Inferential analysis of Multiple Linear Regression data from SAS Software .. 119

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xiii PREFACE

In this research project, researchers would like to examine the relationship between emotional demands, workload, supervisor support and colleague support in work-family conflict among hospital nurses in Peninsular Malaysia. Work-family conflict is a mutual compatibility between the role of both work and family in order to balance both roles, researchers should study and understanding the influencers of the work-family conflict.

This research project is conducted as the work-family conflict has increased dramatically due to heavy workload and emotional demands among nurses. Work-family conflict is a big concern to nurses no matter in Malaysia or other part of the world. Therefore, this research project can assist Ministry of Health, Healthcare institution, Hospital management and nurses to understand the influencers of emotional demands, workload, supervisor support and colleague support in causing work-family conflict among hospital nurses.

In this research project, researchers outline more in depth and detailed information about the influence of emotional demands, workload, supervisor and colleague support on work-family conflict. These variables play the critical roles in reducing work-family conflict among hospital nurses.

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xiv ABSTRACT

This study is to reviews the influence of emotional demands, workload, supervisor support and colleague support in causing work-family conflict among hospital nurses. Whereby, data were collected from 143 hospital nurses in Peninsular Malaysia. Where, there are a total of 194 set of questionnaires distributed by using non-probability sampling technique to the nurses in the selected sampling location. The collected data from the respondents are analyzed using Statistical Analysis System Enterprise (SAS) software. In the nut shell, this study concludes that there is significant relationship between emotional demand, workload and work-family conflict. However, the supervisor and colleague are not significant with work-family conflict. The implication, limitation and recommendation are presented in the end of this study. ‘jhutgfvyrdctyrdft5sedxrtfswzxrezaswerzsadeaszdeaszwerdwaszerahhh

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CHAPTER 1: RESEARCH OVERVIEW

1. Introduction

The purpose of the research is to examine the on the factors that affecting work-family conflict among nursing employees in hospital of Perak state in Malaysia. This study may help nursing employee to achieve a better work-family conflict and also enable them to deal with the issue of work-family conflict. The research will help the organisation to create new understanding and able to identify the problem which in turns help in decision making.

1. Research Background

Work-family conflict is a forms of inter-role conflict that occur when the energy, time, or behavioural demands of the work role conflict with families (Ellyn & Khyung 2017,). The work-family conflict research also addressed the relationship between paid employment and commitment to kin (Drago & Khasian, 2003). In the other words, work-family conflict is of growing importance in society as it has important consequences for work, non-work, and personal outcomes such as productivity, turnover, family well-being and stress (Wang, Mei Ling, Tsai & Li Jane, 2014).

The study of relationship between work and family had been documented since the late of 19^th century. While looking to the research of work and family conflict, there is a two-way research which is work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. In the definition, the work-to- family conflict is a form of inter-role conflict in which the general demands of work, the time devoted to work, and the strain that created by the job interfere with performing family- related responsibilities. The family-to-work which is a form of inter-role conflict in which the general demands of work, the time devoted to work, and the strain that created by the by the family interfere with performing (Richard, Robert & James, 2014). Furthermore, from the previous studies of Frone, Russell and Cooper, (1992), Geurts, Kompier, Roxburgh, and Houtman, (2003), Kinnunen and Mauno, (1998), the employees indicate that the work interference with their family life are greater than the other way around which is family life

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interference with work life. From the research of Frone et al. (1992) found out that work-to- family conflict was reported three times more frequently than family-to-work conflict by both male and female employed adults with a spouse and or with children. In the work-family literatures, the term work-family, work-to-family, work-nonwork, work-home conflict has been used to reflect the interference between work-role demands and family or non-work roles demands (Greenhaus & Buetell, 1985; Kahn, 1964; Allen & Armstrong, 2006). In this project, the term work-family conflict is used to reflect the inter-role conflict that arises due to work and family demands.

Work-family conflict has become a significant human resources issue because these employees give adequate attention to the demands of work and family. The work-family conflict has increased significantly in the recent year is because of the traditional model of family structures had rapidly change in Malaysia and dual-earner families are currently in the norm. Study from Qinfen (2017), demonstrated that there are significant growing numbers of women in workforce has leaded to the changes in the structure of the family. The changes in the natures of workforce have resulted to the increases likelihood that individual have to cope with different demands of their roles as family’s members and worker entail. These demands will also lead to conflict and stress that both parents bring towards the families. However, two-earner and single parent family structures mean that not only women but also men will suffer the stress from work-family conflict (Eagle, Icenogle, Males & Miles, 2002). However, the family structure is not the only reason that increased the work-family conflict in the recent year. According to Gutek, Searle, and Klepa (1991), work-family conflict may also due to the fact that work demands are easier to quantify, but it is also likely that employees’

evaluations are coloured by what they feel is expected from a good employee : A good employees must focus on his job performance and not supposed to think and bring his family matter to the workplace and disturbing his job performance. On the other hand, a good employee must think about work matter in the home and thus, this will let them interference with their families when necessary.

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Malaysia currently has a dichotomous public-private system of health care services. Our healthcare service has over the decades since (1980s) transformed from what was largely a government-led and funded public services to a buoyant dual-tiered parallel system, with a sizable and thriving private sector (David, 2014). In the healthcare industry, nurses are the largest groups among health care professionals and are legally liable and morally responsible for patient’s care, thus their perspective on quality of nursing care is important (Gunther &

Alligood, 2002). There are many studies from (Lankshear et al. 2005, Bolton et al. 2003) suggested that positive patient outcomes depend more on the quality of nursing than on the available technology provided for the patients. As such, work stress and conflicts that faced by the nurses that received at the work places will definitely affect the service quality of the nurses to the patients.

According to the United State (U.S.) Nursing workforce, there are a total 2,824,641 of Registered Nurses (RNs) in the U.S. but there are only 9.1% of them are male. While according to the World Health Organization that made the report of Human Resource for Health Country Profile: Malaysia in year 2011, there are only 1.8% of registered nurses are male and 98.2% of them are female in Malaysia healthcare sector.

Figure 1.0: Table of Human Resource Health Country Profile in Malaysia Source: World Health Organization. (2011).

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Due to pregnancy and childcare needs, the female nurses often leave their job or choose to work as a part time. According to (Chen, Yu, Chiang, Chen & Chang, 1992), suggested that it is only when the women have a good balance work and family between that, they may only continue to perform well in their job. To reduce the high turnover rate among nurses, the hospitals and managers must work together to minimize the nurses’ work-family conflict.

According to a study by National Healthcare Retention & RN Staffing Report (2017), the average hospital turnover rate in 2017 was 18.2%, which is the highest recorded turnover in the industry for almost a decade. Since 2013, the average hospital turned over 85.2% of its workforce (Megan, 2017). The figure below shows the total turnover rates in healthcare industries of United State.

Figure 1.1: Turnover rate in the healthcare industries in U.S. Source: Megan.W. (2018).

Healthcare Turnover Rate in 2018.

While the nurses’ turnover rate of in Malaysia has soared by more than 50% from the year 2005 which is 400 nurses to the year 2010 which is1,049 nurses (Barnett, Namasivayam, &

Narudin, 2010). In addition, Malaysia also faces the problem of nurse migration, with an attrition rate of 400 per year, especially to English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia (Siew, Chitpakdee & Chontawan, 2011). Besides, the study conducted by Roslan, Noor Hazilah , Nor Filzatun and Azahadi (2014) showed that 22 % of the medical staff, inclusive of nurses indicated their intention to resign before reaching pensionable age.

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Moreover, there is also concern about shortage of nurses in the future year in Malaysia as the number of nurse students graduated each year is shrinking (Suzanna, 2017). According to the study of Christine and Linda (2014), the causes and the consequences of nursing shortage include the changing of the nursing workforce, the workload and unacceptable and unsafe work environment of the nurses, the organizations structures and the managing systems of hospitals and the impact on patient and staff safety.

In the healthcare industry, the aspects that increased acuity of patients and complexity of care set the stage for fatigue in nurses contributing to an increase in work-family conflict and stress in their work including the work environments among nurses include changing work patterns, lengthy shifts, workloads and added overtime (Faezah, Haruyah, Jati & Nurul, 2016). Some nurses prefer long work days which is 12 hours shift as a benefit by reducing the number of staff hand-offs and increasing continuity of care while some nurses also prefer fewer days at work and therefore less commute time and easier scheduling of home life responsibilities (Richardson, et al. 2007). Scott (2006), recommended that nurses who face with work family conflict and stress due to 12 hours shifts should be minimized and to not more than 12 hours. If the working shift is more than 12.5 hours, this will lead to increase the level of work family conflict and stress (Rogers, et al., 2004).

Furthermore, Rogers (2004), reported that the nurses only have half an hour of break during the shifts to take a rest or meals and this could also lead to higher level of stress and work- family conflict among the nurses. Moreover, the nurses who work in the night shift is reported that they may face mental exhaustion and high level of stress (Dorrian, et al., 2006).

1.2 Research Problem

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in this modern world, nurses and midwives play a very important role in the global health workforce as both job position occupied for nearly 50% of the global health workforce. The essential roles played by nurses include consultation, clinical nursing practices, follow-up treatment, illness prevention, promoting public health and patient education (Virpi, Kerttu & Hannele, 2012).

There is a problem in the global trend and it should be taken to the serious matters which is shortage in healthcare workers, especially nurses and midwives (World Health Organization, 2017). In the global context, the current shortage in nurses and midwives in health workers

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indicate more than 50% (World Health Organization, 2017). The report by Ministry of Health Malaysia (2018) indicated the current nurse to patient population ratio is 1:302. Malaysia’s healthcare sector is expecting to reach 1:200 nurse to patient population ratio by 2020 (Dzaher, 2017). It is still a big gap between the current ratio and the target ratio. In 2017, the total numbers of nurses were 106289. There will be a high demand of nurses in the near future in order to reach this target. From the current situation, there are less than 3,000 nurses graduating yearly as compare to the period of 2005-2010, there are as many 10,000 nursing student’s graduation annually. This means the number of graduating nurses have dropped more than 70% currently (Pillay, 2017). Among the contributing factors to massive declining number of nursing student include, the Malaysian Nursing Board has tightened the entry requirement from 3 credits to 5 credits in prior of Mathematics and Science subjects since August 2010 (Pillay, 2017). Next, the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has reduced the amount of loans provided to the students (Pillay, 2017). The significant decline of the students graduating from the nursing schools means that the healthcare sector will face more serious shortage of qualified nurses and increase the burden of the existing registered nurses in their basic life and in workplace. Nurses experiencing the rise of workload without more qualified staff in the sector, in turn leads to high stress level when nurse in the situation of more patient have to be processed in the same working hour (Havlovic et al., 1998; as cited in Burke & Greenglass, 2001). Nevertheless, the shortage of nurses cannot be countered by having more students enrol into nursing course itself, but to look at the existing issues faced by the nurses currently.

Nursing is perceived as a laborious job as it requires high and complicated demands to perform (Sarafis, Rousaki, Tsounis, Malliarou, Lahana, Bamidis, Niakas & Papastavrou, 2016). Hajra (2016) reported that nurses have long working hours and needed to multi- tasking to perform their job at a time. As a medical professional, nurses are facing issues of harsh working environment. First, the heavy workload needed to be handled by nurse. As mentioned above, workload increases as the low supply and high demand of nurse workforce and the effect of this issue are the nurses may need to handle more than usual workload in the normal working hours and might need stay overtime to get all the jobs done. This could be unhealthy to the existing nurse workforce as it will leads to high occupational stress, affecting the nurse’s quality of life and work-family conflict. Sarafis (2016) revealed that nurses’

exposure to stress-related factors can negatively affect their health-related quality. Besides, Atefi, Abdullah and Wong (2014) explained that heavy workload and the lack of nurse staff

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were the major contributing factors of job dissatisfaction and the major stressors among nurses. The results of empirical study by Cortese, Colombo and Ghislieri (2010) showed that job demand and emotional charge can increase the level of work-family conflict while supportive management can reduce it. Furthermore, work-family conflict negatively affects job satisfaction (Cortese et al. 2010; Yildrim & Arycan, 2008), life satisfaction (Yildrim et al.

2008) and intention to leave (Ekici, Cerit & Mert, 2017).

Second, the nurses did not earn the respect they deserved in their workplace. At most of the time, they feel the lack of respect from patients and colleagues, when it compares to doctors (Hajra, 2016). This lack of respect may have caused the nurses to value themselves lesser in their workplace (Hajra, 2016). Without proper social support from co-worker, this may turn into frustration and loss their passion onto their work. Other than that, nurses do not get enough remuneration for their work (Hajra, 2016). Nurses should be paid well for their work and time they put in their work. These two factors may lead to emotional charge of nurses, as they do not get respect in their work and well remuneration. The nurses may feel having no value in the workplace and, their effort and time put in into their work is not mattering as much as they feel. Nurses without supervisory support can lead to high work-family conflict and lower job satisfaction (Yildrim et al. 2008). Moreover, Lembrechts, Dekocker, Zanoni, Pulignano (2015) found that nurses with organisational support (e.g. managerial, co-worker, supervisor support) experience lower work-family conflict.

The problems above provide the indicators that the evaluation in the influence of workload, emotional demand, supervisor support and colleague support on work-family conflict among nurses is crucial. Although there are numerous researches on work-family conflict, systematic examination on the influence of the above mentions factors among the nurses in both private and government hospital in the local context is still lacking. For example, Sabil, Abu, Kasuma and Lizzan (2016) only investigated work-family conflict among nurses who worked in Sarawak General Hospital. Besides, Sabil et al. (2016) focuses on the impact of job type, work time, role overload; family-related variables (e.g. presence of family, dual earner family, dependent care); and individual related factors (e.g. domestic responsibility, gender role orientation in their study. In particular, many studies have focuses on quantitative job demands, such as workload and working hour but not emotional demands. For example, Lembrechts, Dekocker, Zanoni, Pulignano (2015) study focuses on workload and working hours; Yildrim and Arycan (2008) study focuses on work overload, work hours, work schedule, overtime work and supervisory support in evaluating work-family conflict among

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nurses in Belgium. On the other hand, Ekici et al. (2017) study aim on workload in evaluating work-family conflict among nurses in private hospital in Turkey. As such, there is a need to further understand the influence of qualitative work demands, such as emotional demands on work-family conflict among nurses who work in the local hospitals.

In view of the gap in this study, this study aims to examine the influence of workload, emotional demand, supervisor support and colleague support in predicting work-family conflict on nurses.

1.3 Research Objective

1.3.1 General Objective

To identify the factors that affecting the work-family conflict among nursing employees.

1.3.2 Specific Objective

1. To determine the influence of emotional demand on work-family conflict among nursing employees.

2. To determine the influence of workload on work-family conflict among nursing employees.

3. To determine the influence of supervisor support on work-family conflict among nursing employees.

4. To determine the influence of colleague support on work-family conflict among nursing employees.

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1.4 Research Question

The main question of this research is to find out the relationship whether the factors will affect the work-family conflict among nursing employees.

1. What is the influence of emotional demand on work-family conflict among nursing employees?

2. What is the influence of workload on work-family conflict among nursing employees?

3. What is the influence of supervisor support on work-family conflict among nursing employees?

4. What is the influence of colleague support on work-family conflict among nursing employees?

1.5 Hypothesis of the Study

H1: Emotional demand has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

H2: Workload has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

H3: Supervisor support has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

H4: Colleague support has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

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1.6 Significant of Study

From the practical perspective, the findings from this study may provide assist and useful information to help the nurses resolving the work-family conflict. As defined, work-family conflict is a mutual compatibility between the role of both work and family (Nurnazirah, Samsiah, Zurwina & Fauziah, 2015). This study is relatively important to assist nursing employee in Malaysia to identify the factors affecting work-family conflict among the nursing employee in Malaysia. From this study, the nursing employees who are experiencing work-family conflict can discover the roots of the issue and have a better understanding on all variables, in turn figure out the ways to resolve or reduce the tension between work and family based on self-perception; for the nursing employees have not face this issue, they can learn and perceive the issue, in turn they can discern the importance on this issue and learn to prevent it from happening on themselves. Prevention is better than cure.

From the health care institution perspective, this study could help the organization of health care institution implementing a better management system and have a better understanding on how to help the nursing employee face the work-family conflict. Besides that, a well implemented management system can help in boosting the nursing employees’ job performance and job satisfaction by reducing work-family conflict. With this outcome, it can turn into high customer service satisfaction from the customer, thus helping in establish strong brand name.

From the Ministry of Health Malaysia perspective, this research project can help in discovering the factors medical employee facing work-family conflict in their basic life. By having a better understanding on these factors, Ministry of Health Malaysia can help to resolve the issues faced by the nursing employee and increase the job satisfaction and reduce work stress of medical employee. The Ministry of Health Malaysia can regulate a family- friendly policy that actually helps the nursing employees such as flexible emergency leave and child or elder care. Besides that, the administration of the hospital can provide reward system by giving out extra allowance to praise the nurses for their effort. This can also help in breaking the misconception of the society on the work of medical employee (working for extremely long working hours), thus encourage the newcomers to enrol into this industry and solving the shortage issue faced in Malaysia.

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1.7 Chapter Layout

There are three major parts in this research paper which are introduction, literature review, and research methodology in chapter by chapter. In the Chapter 1, the introduction has provided the research background, problem statement, research objectives and the research questions, hypothesis and also the significant of study. Basically, it helps the readers or the researchers to grab and overall idea consisting of background information about the research problem, the objectives and also the significant of study. In order to understand the relationship whether the factors stated will affect the work-family conflict among nursing employees in hospitals of Perak State in Malaysia, there will be a further discussion on the review of others journals and articles in the next chapter.

In the Chapter 2, the Literature Review which has covered the review of literature and relevant theoretical models, proposed theoretical framework, and hypothesis development.

This chapter includes the discussion and evaluation of the past journal and articles related studies in the factors that affect the work-family conflict of nursing employees in hospitals of Perak State in Malaysia. In addition, a purpose theoretical framework and methodology will be constructed and discussed based on the findings.

While in the Chapter 3, the Research Methodology, which will provide the research design, relevant methodology, data collection methods, sampling design, research instrument, construct measurement, data processing and data analysis. It is necessary to specify on qualitative and quantitative research design, primary or secondary data collection, and sampling design which include appropriate target population, sampling frame, location, elements, techniques and size.

1.8 Chapter Summary

In this chapter, it included the research background, research problem, research objectives, research questions, hypothesis of this study, and the significance of the study followed by the organization of the research project. Readers should get a clear picture of the general understanding of this study.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

In this chapter, it consists of the literature review from the published information by the researcher. Furthermore, this chapter provides relevant information which related to the determinants of work-family conflict among the hospital nurses in Malaysia. We gain the information from journal and article that provided by the researchers. This chapter has consisted of underlying theories, review of literature, theoretical or conceptual framework and hypothesis development.

2.1 Underlying Theories

There are different theories that can used to explain work-family conflict. In this study, role theory and Job Demands-Resources Model are used to understand work-family conflict while demands and resources approach is focused on the job level emphasis the dual processes of job demands and resources.

2.1.1 Role Theory

The role theory (Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek & Rosenthal, 1964; Katz & Kahn, 1978) focuses on the subjective conflict role demands of work and family domains.

Individuals and organizations cannot function without roles (Ashforth, 2001; Biddle, 1986; Katz & Kahn, 1978; Stryker & Burke, 2000). Nevertheless, organizational roles have an important impact towards an individual at work (Ashforth, 2001; Kreiner, Hollensbe, & Sheep, 2006; Sluss & Ashforth, 2007). Based on Katz and Kahn (1978) explanation, roles are created through the social process within an organization that are related to the role expectations of others. Role theory emphasizes the importance of role sending on affecting the establishment of roles (Currie & Procter, 2005; Katz

& Kahn, 1978). According to Katz and Kahn (1978), role sending requires the role- holder to analyse the communication so that they know how to adjust their behaviour.

An individual will adjust their role behaviour to achieve the favourable expectations

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since roles are flexible (Katz & Kahn, 1978). The role theory is related to the scarcity theory (Goode, 1960) that assumes people have limited time and resources to be spent for multiple domains in their life.

Based on the theoretical perspective of the role theory, Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) explained that work-family conflict arise due to the incompatibility of role demands between work and family. An individual who participate in one role (e.g. work) face difficulties in fulfilling the demands of another role (e.g. family member). Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) explained three types of work-family conflict: time-based, strain- based or behaviour-based conflict. Time-based role conflict occurs when the time demands from work and family compete with each other (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). The example of work to family conflict is overtime takes away the time a parent can spend with their children. In addition, strain-based conflict occurs when strain in one role forces individuals’ ability to perform another role (Greenhaus &

Beutell, 1985). For example, work to family conflict will occurs when individual spill the exhaustion and anxiety from work to their family and this limit their role performance (Kinman & Jones, 2001). Besides that, behaviour-based conflict will occur when the behaviour patterns from work and family are incompatible (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). However, some researchers argue that behaviour-based work-family conflict may not be relevant to most occupations (Mauno, Kinnunen &

Ruokolainen, 2006). Nevertheless, others commented that certain occupations, such as military (Britt, Adler & Castro, 2006) or prison guards (Kinman, Clements & Hart, 2017) may require aggressive and antagonistic interpersonal interactions and these may not be fitting in family interactions (Dierdorff & Ellington, 2008).

2.1.2 Job Demands-Resources Model

The demands and resources approaches focus on the need to examine demands and resources to understand the job strain that contributing to work-family conflict (Bakker & Demeroutti, 2007; Bakker, Demerouti, De Boer & Schaufeli, 2003;

Voydanoff, 2005).

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The Job Demand-Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) are commonly been relate to employees’ well-being, stress, burnout and work-family research. According to Bakker and Demerouti (2007) as well as Demerouti (2001), JD-R model assume that the job characteristic of every occupation can be categorise into two categories which are job demands and job resources. Job demands refers to those social, physical and organisational aspects of the job that require continuing physical or mental effort along with some physiological and psychological costs (Bakker & Demerouti, 2006). The example of job demand included emotionally demanding interactions with clients, unfavourable physical environment and high job stress. On the other hand, job resources refer to social, physical, psychological or organisational aspects of the job that are capable in achieving work goals, reduce job demands and stimulate personal growth and development (Bakker et al. 2006).

Example of job resources are job opportunities, job security and pay wages.

According to Demerouti (2001), an individual will develop job stress when the job demands are high or when the job resources are limited. A high job demands will exhaust individuals’ mental and physical resources and resulting to exhaustion and health problem. JD-R model assumes that negative individual and work outcomes will happens as the job demands may spend individuals’ resources. On the other hand, job resources are more likely to motivate individuals to perform better and leading to positive individual and work outcomes. Besides that, the demands and resources approach (i.e. JD-R model) also suggest that certain job resources like social support, supervisor feedback and autonomy may act as a buffer between job demands and job strain (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007). Moreover, JD-R model proposed that the job resources may buffer the adverse implications of jobs demands on a person’s wellbeing.

JD-R model often been used to explain burnout (Bakker, Demerouti, Taris, Schreurs, 2003) and work engagement (Bakker, Hakanen, Demerouti & Xanthopoulou, 2007;

Hakanen, Bakker & Demerouti, 2005). Nevertheless, recently several researchers have extended JD-R model to explain work-family conflict (Bakker, ten Brummelhuis, Prins & van der Heijden, 2011; Gordon, Pruchno, Wilson-Genderson, Marcinkus Murphy & Rose, 2012). JD-R model described work-family conflict as a resources-depleting process (Tement & Korunka, 2015).

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2.1.3 Conservation of Resources Theory

Conservation of resources (COR) theory has been an influential theory for understanding stress and has been used widely in the organizational literature (Hobfoll, 1989; ten Brummelhuis & Bakker, 2012). The main objective of COR is that individuals strive “to retain, protect, and build resources” and “what is threatening to them is the potential or actual loss of these valued resources” (Hobfoll, 1989, p. 516). Based on Hobfoll (1989), psychological stress is a response of an individual when there is a threat or actual loss of resources. Hobfoll (1989, p. 516) conceptualized resources as “those objects, personal characteristics, conditions, or energies that are valued by the individual or that serve as a means for attainment of these objects, personal characteristics, conditions, or energies”. Many studies have adopted Hobfoll (1989) COR theory to observe and study the work–family conflict (Hoobler, Hu, & Wilson, 2010) and these studies showed that high levels of work- family conflict will cause stressful conditions that lead to resource drain. For example, according to Grandey and Cropanzano (1999), work-family conflict drained employees’ resources over time and cause job distress and lead to high turnover intentions, greater life distress and poorer physical health.

2.2 Review of Literature 2.2.1 Work Family Conflict

According to Greenhaus and Beutell (1985), work-family conflict refers to a condition where the demands and responsibilities from work and family roles are mutually incompatible in some respects. Moreover, work-family conflict is essential for the nurse in two ways includes the individual nurse’s worry over work to family conflict which may sharpen the shortage of nurses by urging withdrawal from the occupations (Greenhaus, Parasuraman, & Collins, 2001; Hammer, Bauer, & Grandey, 2003; Simon, Kummerling, & Hasselhorn, 2004; Wang, Lawler, Walumbwa, & Shi, 2004). Work to family conflict is among the reason that given by the nurses for leaving the occupation and this is also the students ‘reasons for not choosing the nursing profession (Grzywacz, Frone, Brewer & Kovner, 2006). Furthermore, nursing

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is considered a complicated occupation which being a satisfying and fulfilling job (Duffield, Roche, O’Brien-Pallas, Catling-Paull & King, 2009). According to Yildirim (2006); Yildirim and Oktay (2005), a nurse needs to take care of 30 to 40 patients in day shifts and 60 to 80 patients in night shift. Moreover, nurses are not allowed to work or leave their job after certain time slot due to the safety problem such as kidnap or rape in Turkey (Yildirim & Aycan, 2008). There are three time slots for nurses which are 8am to 8pm (12 hours), 8am to 4pm/ 4pm to 8am (16 hours) or 24 hours a day (Yildirim & Oktay, 2005). The nurses sometimes required to work over 40 hours per week if there is a shortage of nurses or excessive workload (Aksayan, Oktay, Ulker, Kocaman, Atalay, Pektekin & Buldukoglu, 2001; Alcelik, Deniz, Yesildal, Mayda & Serefi, 2005; Yesildal, 2005 & Yildirim, 2006). The challenging work condition, job stress and irregular work hours caused the nurse to experience work-family conflict (Yildirim & Aycan, 2008).

Work-family conflict is the pressure that often occurs between work and family (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). They explained work-family conflict on three bases, which is then followed by researchers thereafter. Firstly, time-based conflict is associated with time spent in both roles at the same time, even more identified as increasing spends more time on the other roles. For instance; take spend more time for work, even taking the time to work on a holiday. Similarly, the time associated with the family can interfere with work. Second, strain-based conflict; its work-family conflict domain can result in tension, with symptoms indicate an impact on work performance and the presence of conflict. The third domain, behavior-based conflict related to the expectation of the role of women, family and work colleagues, expectations of family members and co-workers more expressive and sensitive (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985).

Long working hours and lack of job security reported affected to the employee’s commitment, while needs and lifestyle of women to be able to create a balance between work and family life (Blomme, Rheede & Tromp, 2010). The imbalance demands of work and home task disputed into a number of assumptions as the size of the cause of the lack of commitment to the organization, which resulted in job dissatisfaction, poor performance and high pressure (Achour & Boerhanuddin, 2011).

Those who have a high commitment to the organization showing the high amount of pressure as compared to those have low commitment (Mathieu & Zajac, 1990).

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According to Basami, Chizari and Abbasi (2013), organizational commitment protects the individual from negative consequences at work. Because those individuals who are committed to the organization have connected more closely to the others individuals at work or they have found the meaning on their work.

Besides that, the impact of work-family conflict is reduction of organizational commitment. The higher the work-family conflict, the lower the organization’s commitment. Five respondents did job in the multinational company with profitable salary. After marriage, they quit the organization and join public university with one third salary. Work family conflict is lower among the unmarried respondents compared to married with children respondents. Furthermore, the impact of work- family conflict could be distress and depression. The Work-Family conflict produces dysfunctional consequences, both in the family and workplace, such as family distress and depression and job distress and depression.

On the other hand, Akkas, Hossain and Rhaman (2015) have identified that long working hours is among the important factors that lead to work-family conflict among respondents who work in different organisations in Bangladesh. Long working hours have negative impacts for families and employees who struggle to balance the demands of work and family roles and also cause job stress among the employees, especially female employees since family life is highly valued in Bangladesh (Akkas et al. 2015). According to Alam (2010), children are the worst victims of the happening of work-family conflict that caused by long working hours. Besides that, many married female employees do not like to work in the night shift and their work schedule is one of the reasons that caused work-family conflict. Other than that, work or job demand often been reported as the most constant predictor of work-family conflict because compulsory or unexpected overtime, job pressure, job hassle, shift work and others often limit a person’s ability to devote time and energy in their family life or personal life (Akkas et al. 2015). The above situations caused work- family conflict as the employees do not have adequate time to dedicate to both domains.

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2.2.2 Emotional Demand

According to the study of Izard in 1971, 1977, 1991 (as cited in Izard, 2011), emotions is a thought of being a fundamental to human nature. A few emotions include interest, joy, sadness, anger, and fear was called ‘basic’ of emotion. Emotion is a mix of psychological feeling towards something (Pitcher, 1965). Emotions, is conceptualized as affective and physiological states, physiological and behavioural responses, temporal in nature and characterized by the intensity and positive or negative valence (Hayward & Tuckey, 2011). In the workplace, emotion is an integral part of the workplace (Miller, 2002).

Emotional demands are defined as those components of the job that needed constant emotional effort input to perform the job well due to interactional contact with clients (de Jonge & Dormann, 2003). Employee must create a pleasant facial expression when facing high emotional demand situation (Hochschild, 2012). For example, a waiter/waitress must be willingly to serve the customer and showing a pleasant facial or gesture in performing job even though he/her maybe very unhappy when doing so.

In contrast, if a debt collector may be very happy to do his/her job, but still required to act tough to perform the job (Peng, Wong & Che, 2010). On the other hand, Enmerik and Peeters (2009) defined emotional demands as the affective aspects of one’s work and the extent of emotional effort input into one’s work in emotionally stressful situation.

Cortese, Colombo and Ghislieri (2010) explained that emotional charge has a strong positive relationship to work-family conflict among nurses. Besides, the empirical study of Vammen, Hansen, Bonde, Grynderup, Kolstad and Thomsen (2016) found out that patient-care worker has significantly high level of perceived emotional demands in the workplace. The results by Elfering, Grebner, Leitner, Hirschmüller, Kubosch and Baur (2016) showed that emotional demands are a special factor that lead to cognitive stress symptoms including concentration problems, difficulties to make decisions, to remember and have a clear mind think among the surgery nurses.

Furthermore, employee experiencing high emotional demands can lead to several negative impacts include sleeping problem, exhaustion and impaired health (Halbesleben & Buckley, 2004). According to Johannessen, Tynes and Sterud (2013), individuals always reported to psychological distress when the emotional demand is

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high and this will cause higher risk of mental health disorders and reduced productivity.

2.2.3 Workload

Influence of workload on employee well-being can be explain by using the Scarcity Hypothesis (Goode, 1960) and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner & Schaufeli, 2001). According to Akkas, Hossain and Rhaman (2015), work demands are perhaps the most consistent predictor of work-family conflict. Other work requirements that lead to work-family conflicts include forced or accidental overtime, work stress, shift work, overwork, work trouble, fast work or multiple interruptions. One of the major causes of work to family interference is individuals has no sufficient time to dedicate to both domains (Akkas, et al, 2015).

Nurses' work is often characterized by a number of role stress factors, such as night shifts and weekend work, irregular shifts and work overload (Simon, Kummerling &

Hasselhorn, 2004; Kovner, Brewer, Wu, Cheng & Suzuki, 2006). Some research on the results of work-family conflicts in the nurse work dimension does indicate work overload (Yildirim & Aycan 2008), work variability, frequent stress events, work intensity (Simon et al, 2004), irregular work hours (Beigi, Ershadi & Shirmohammadi 2012) and being pressured to work overtime (Simon et al, 2004) increase work-to- family conflict.

High workload can make time, energy and attention insufficient, thus increasing the prevalence exhausted (Tayfur & Arslan, 2013). Besides that, high workload seems to drain employee’s energy and lessen the time that is devoted to family life, thereby increase the prevalence of the conflict between work and family lives (Tayfur et al, 2013). WFC can express itself as exhaustion as well. From the propositions of Scarcity Hypothesis and JD-R model, workload is assumed to affect emotional exhaustion both directly and indirectly through its effects on WFC (Ozge Tayfur &

Mahmut Arslan, 2013).

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2.2.4 Supervisor Support

Supervisor support refers to the extent to which the employees think their supervisor cares about their well-being and contribution in the workplace (Eisenberger, Stinglhamber, Vandenberghe, Sucharski & Rhoades, 2002). Researchers traditionally distinguish between organizational-level support (such as supportive organizational cognition) and support from specific individuals in the work environment (such as supervisors and colleagues) (French, Dumani, Allen & Shockley, 2018). Besides that, informal support resources such as supervisory support may be more useful due to the acceptance of the employee family, employees of the collectivist society responsibility outside of work (Lu, Kao, Copper, Allen, Lapierre, O’Driscoll, Poelmans, Sanchez & Spector, 2009).

Employees need supervisor support to deal with problems caused by work-family conflict (Ravangard, Yasami, Shokrpour, Sajjadnia & Farhadi, 2015). In addition, accepting supervisor support in the workplace can reduce WFC (Frese,1999; Karatepe

& Kilic, 2007; O’Driscoll, Poelmans, Spector, Khalliath, Allen, Cooper & Sanchez, 2003). Perceived social support can more consistently predict coping capacity and outcomes (Barnet, Martin & Garza, 2018).

In the presence of work-family conflict, the work and family support of supervisors and colleagues can also benefit temporary and permanent nurses (Mauno &

Ruokolainen, 2017). The support of supervisors and colleagues has become the key to reducing work-family conflicts and has contributed positively to the well-being and health of employees. (Casper, Harris, Taylor-Bianco, & Wayne, 2011; Karatepe, 2010; Kossek, Pichler, Bodner & Hammer, 2011; Mauno & Rantanen, 2013; Michel, Michelson, Pichler & Cullen, 2010; Parasuraman, Greenhaus, & Granrose, 1992;

Thomas & Ganster, 1995).

Previous studies mentioned that social support from spouse, family members, supervisors and co-workers, greatly affect the tension of married women working on work-family conflict (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985).

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2.2.5 Colleague Support

Colleagues support for work may refers as co-workers assisting on one another in their tasks when needed by sharing knowledge and expertise as well as providing encouragement and support to each other (Zhou & George, 2001). On the other hand, Vipra and Kamalanabhan (2017) defined of colleagues support as “the extent to which employees believe their co-workers are willing to provide them with work- related assistance to aid in the execution of their service based duties’’ .When an employee is facing a difficult task or a task which did not have any readily solution, colleagues may share their knowledge and expertise to each other and face the task together (Scott & Bruce, 1994). By supporting the colleagues, employees may also acquire task-relevant knowledge and expertise and make a new way that possible to solve the problem that they are facing together (Smith, 2006). In this way, working together with helpful and supportive colleagues will promote an environment where new ideas can be discussed more openly and freely to solve to problem together that they are facing in the workplace.

Bogo, Paterson, Tufford, and King, (2011) stated that colleague support is important for employees to overcome everyday hardship they encounter in the workplace.

Support from co-worker can decrease employees’ isolation and make them feel that they are not alone (Ismail et al., 2010).

From the previous study of Mesmer-Magnus and Viswesvaran (2009) about the role of co-worker in reducing the work-family conflict, co-workers may help by taking the time to listen, understand and sympathize to their fellow employee’s problems when they are facing a difficult or not ready solution task. Besides, Ray and Miller (1994) explained that work-family conflict can be reduced through colleague support because colleagues are in an optimal position to offer support to employees who are struggling with work–family conflict as they have first-hand knowledge of the stressors associated with the workplace.

Furthermore, several researches have indicated about family-facilitative co-worker support is effective in reducing work–family conflict. The colleague or co-worker may provide emotional support, especially when an employee is facing with work- family conflict. Moreover, colleague often is the most immediately available to assist one another in accomplishing work demands in the face of work–family conflict. The

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family-facilitative co-worker instrumental support may include providing missed materials or information to a co-worker attending to a family matter, or backing up a co-worker leaving work to attend to a sick child by swapping their job duties (Mesmer-Magnus et al., 2008). Support from a co-worker may help a person to complete unfinished task and not to frustrate the clients when he or she is having family-related obligation that will interfere the meeting with an important client or to meet a particular deadline. This action not only helps the employees to complete the unfinished tasks, but simultaneously benefits the organization in the end by maintaining client relations (Mesmer-Magnus & Viswesvaran, 2009).

2.3 Proposed Theoretical/ Conceptual Framework

Figure 2.0: Conceptual framework model

Based on the past theoretical models as mentioned earlier, a conceptual framework model is proposed and illustrated in Figure 2, regarding the relationship between independent variables and dependent variable among the nursing employees. This theoretical framework consists of four independent variables, which are workload, emotional demands, management support and colleague support, and the dependent variable of work-family conflict. From the literature review, it is suggested that workload, emotional demands, management support and colleague support will affect work-family conflict. Thus, this study will analyse whether

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workload, emotional demands, management support and colleague support will direct impact on work-family conflict.

2.4 Hypothesis Development

2.4.1 Emotional Demand and Work-Family Conflict

Emotional demand refers to an individual’s felt emotionally stressful caused by his or her job. (Peeters, Montgomery, Bakker & Schaufeli, 2005). According to Buonocore and Russo (2013); Shacklock and Brunetto (2012), work-family conflict in nursing occupation is unavoidable because the nurses need to experience high level of physical, cognitive, and emotional demands. The home care nurses also experienced high emotional demand as they required to work alone in an uncontrolled environment (Phillips, 2016). Furthermore, the emotional demand on nurses will increase as they need to face the disrespectful patients with aggressive behaviour (Büssing, Glaser, & Höge, 2006). Nursing is a stressful occupation which can affect nurses’ productivity, physical and mental health, satisfaction levels, turnover intentions, and patients’ satisfaction (Khamisa, Peltzer, & Oldenburg, 2013). Many authors (Jansen, Kant, Ij, Kristensen & Nijhuis, 2003; Kinnunen & Mauno, 1998;

Frone, Russell & Cooper, 1992) have list emotional demand as a work-related risk factors for work-family conflict. Based on Yanchus, Eby, Lance and Drollinger (2010), the emotional demand of work and family eventually affect work–family conflict. Based on the above reviews, the following hypothesis is formed:

H¹: Emotional demand has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

2.4.2 Workload and Work-Family Conflict

According to Goh and Ilies (2015), workload is a job demand or stress source, representing energy consumption in terms of time and psychological resources. This increase in demand convert into additional resources needed or consumed by the work area (Goh et al. 2015). The longer you work, the less time you have to meet your family needs (Thompson, Beauvais & Lyness, 1999). Because there are not enough

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resources to meet the needs of the two roles, there is a conflict between the two domains (Goh et al. 2015).

In previous studies, there was a positive and strong relationship between work-family conflict and work requirements such as working hours, workload and abnormal working hours (Anafarta, 2011; Patel, Beekhan, Paruk & Ramgoon, 2008; Simunic &

Gregov, 2012 & Yildirim & Aycan, 2008). According to Michel, Kotrba, Michelson, Clark and Baltes (2011), the antecedents of work–family conflict showed that stressful and emotionally. Work demands and heavy workloads will increase work- family conflict (Annor, 2016).

Nurses are facing high risks of work-family conflict and its negative consequences due to demanding work schedules (e,g, shift work, long hours and overtime) and various physical and psychosocial stress factors (Cortes, Colombo & Ghislieri, 2010).

Heavy workloads and irregular work schedules are reported to be important factors of work-family conflicts, and will reduced job and life satisfaction among nurses (Yildirim & Aycan, 2008).

In previous researches workload is an important antecedent of work–family conflict with both primary (Ilies, Huth, Ryan, & Dimotakis, 2015; Ilies et al., 2007; Major, Klein, & Ehrhart, 2002; O’Driscoll, Ilgen, & Hildreth, 1992) and meta-analytic studies (Byron, 2005; Michel, Kotrba, Mitchelson, Clark, & Baltes, 2011). Based on the review above, the following hypothesis is formed

H2: Workload has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

2.4.3 Supervisor Support and Work-Family Conflict

Supervisor support refers to the extent to which the employees think their supervisor cares about their well-being and contribution in the workplace (Eisenberger, Stinglhamber, Vandenberghe, Sucharski & Rhoades, 2002). On the other hand, Kath, Ehrhart, Gates and Stichler (2012) defined supervisor support as the extent to which the employees think that their supervisor makes stress management a priority and cares about the employees’ stress level. Supervisor support has the most benefits for workplace adjustment (Beehr, 1985). This is because supervisors control the pay

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increases, promotion and working conditions of the employees. Furthermore, Argyle and Furnham (1983) believed that the work-family conflict can be ease when the employees received compliments and encouragement from their supervisors. Beehr (1985) also claimed that supervisor support is very important to employees because supervisors have the power to offer help and support. A supportive supervisor helps an employee reduce his perception of workplace stress (House, 1981; Dunseath, Beehr & King, 1995) and reduce the pressures to balance work and family (Shinn, Wong, Simko & Torres, 1989). With the supervisor support, the employees will be perceived that their supervisors are able to meet their needs for work and family. A number of studies have associated supervisor support with lower levels of work- family conflict (Karimi & Nouri, 2009; Kossek, Pichler, Bodner & Hammer, 2011;

Paustian-Underdahl & Halbesleben, 2014). Based on the above reviews, the following hypothesis is formed:

H³: Supervisor support has a significant influence on work-family conflict of nursing employees.

2.4.4 Colleague Support and Work-Family Conflict

Empirical studies consistently find that colleague support is indeed crucial to tackle the issue of work-to-family conflict (Lembrechts, Dekocker, Zanoni & Pulignano, 2015). Employees who experience supportive supervision, supportive co-workers and perceive work–family policies as accessible are less likely to experience work-to- family conflict (Allen 2001, Anderson, Coffey & Byerly, 2002, Behson

DETERMINANTS OF WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AMONG THE HOSPITAL NURSES IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA